Browns notebook: Weeden needs confidence-builder

Tuesday

Nov 26, 2013 at 1:00 AMNov 26, 2013 at 1:13 AM

Weeden is in dire need of a confidence-building game. He went 13 of 30 against Pittsburgh, lowering his completion percentage for the season to 51.5. In training camp, when it was thought new coordinator Norv Turner’s scheme might suit him well, Weeden talked about completing 70 percent of his passes.

BY Steve DoerschukRepository staff writer

Not that it mattered — the Browns were in a three-possession hole with 4:30 left — but Brandon Weeden threw a pick-six to William Gay that gave Pittsburgh a 27-3 lead.

“I was working Josh (Gordon) on a corner route,” Weeden said. “I thought I could get it. I was hanging, hanging ... trying to get a chunk play.

“I never saw the corner. They were in Tampa two, and I’ve got to know he’s there. It’s a mistake. You can’t have it.”

Weeden is in dire need of a confidence-building game. He went 13 of 30 against Pittsburgh, lowering his completion percentage for the season to 51.5.

In training camp, when it was thought new coordinator Norv Turner’s scheme might suit him well, Weeden talked about completing 70 percent of his passes.

It is coming up on two years since Weeden won an overtime duel against Andrew Luck in a bowl game, throwing for 399 yards and three touchdowns. Weeden completed 72.3 percent of his passes, threw for 4,727 yards, and posted a 12-1 record in his final season at Oklahoma State.

JAGGED EDGE

Sunday’s game against Jacksonville could save the Browns’ season or send them on their way to a high draft pick.

The Jacksonville game in 2009 saved Eric Mangini’s job. His Browns won it in a season finale to complete a 4-0 finish in a 5-11 year.

The Jacksonville game in 2010 cemented Mangini’s demise. Colt McCoy kept playing on a high ankle sprain and a nice lead was lost. A 24-20 defeat sank the Browns to 3-7.

A week later, behind Jake Delhomme, they beat Carolina to improve to 4-7 (same as the current record), but it was too late.

• Jacksonville and Cleveland were in the same division from 1999-2001, during which time the Jaguars won five of the teams’ six meetings.

The Browns are 3-2 against the Jaguars in the five subsequent games.

GORDON HEARS THE BOOS

En route to his record-setting 237-yard game Sunday, Josh Gordon was disturbed at the reception given to Brandon Weeden.